All Grain Or Extract

[Murray]

Yeah but certain AG's get so pissed off even at the mention that kits can make better beers then AG's.

Thats what shits me.

Name names then. No offence intended, but I think you are imagining it tbh.

 

[T.D.]

Well said JS.

Drew, I agree with your comments. Nobody should conclude that your beers are crap just because they are extract, but equally you shouldn't assume that they are "as good as it gets" when you don't even brew AG yourself. All I would ask is that you not rule out Ag brewing as if it has nothing to offer, because I can tell you that if you did brew AG beers you would not regret it. That is regardless of whether you like or dislike your kits.

 

[colinw]

Yeah but certain AG's get so pissed off even at the mention that kits can make better beers then AG's.

Thats what shits me.

I remember my first AG was one of the worst beers I ever made.

My 2nd AG was my worst beer ... ever. I attempted to make a low gravity Mild, oversparged really badly and made the Most Astringent Beer Ever (tm).

Took a good half dozen AG brews before I got back to the standard of my kit/extract beers, but I learned a whole heap about the effect of pH and salts in the process.

 

[bindi]

Yeah but certain AG's get so pissed off even at the mention that kits can make better beers then AG's.

Thats what shits me.

I remember my first AG was one of the worst beers I ever made.

My 2nd AG was my worst beer ... ever. I attempted to make a low gravity Mild, oversparged really badly and made the Most Astringent Beer Ever (tm).

Took a good half dozen AG brews before I got back to the standard of my kit/extract beers, but I learned a whole heap about the effect of pH and salts in the process.

Some of my first Ags were some of my best [bucket in bucket and a large stock pot] up to 19 ag now and my worst Ags are on par with my best extracts / kits and bits [so far].
The Grumpys kits I did in the past we good and easy.

 

[colinw]

My first AG was really good, and I got a bit over confident and proceeded to make a series of dumb mistakes before settling down and refining my process with a combination of AG and partial mash brews. I finally stopped doing partial mash because just doing AG was actually simpler than messing with both extract and grains.

Haven't had a dud batch in a long time now - probably overdue for a snafu.

 

[monkale]

Only done my first AG the other day at Bindis place (champion :beerbang: ) but have drank some nice AGs so I think if the the beer tastes great who cares if its extract or AG as long as its good Beer thats what were here for


cheers Monkale

 

[Beerpig]

Enjoying this thread

Kits here with different bits & pieces .................. very happy with the results

Have never tasted an AG beer, but very curious

Bottom line is - if you are happy do it ............................ don't get down on others who may do it differently

Great discussion

Cheers

 

[n00ch]

I attempted to make a low gravity Mild, oversparged really badly and made the Most Astringent Beer Ever .

You may just have summed up my Mild i contributed in the NSW Xmas in July case there Colinw!!! :lol:

Sorry people in that case swap but it may be a real shocker....

 

[Zwickel]

Hello Brewmates,

there are only a few words for me to say: every mother loves their children, even if they are very ugly, but never tell her

 

[tangent]

I thought my beers were "better than that commercial crap" when I was doing extract brews. Then I tasted some better commercial beers and some AG beers and realised my taste for beers had changed. Was able to pick a few different things out from beers that I hadn't noticed before.
To be honest I haven't tasted an extract brew that has made me say "Wow", ever. (plenty of "not bads" and "yeah that's easy drinking")
If you want to post me one and prove me wrong (I'll put it alongside my photo of the ugly member of Bananarama), I'm more than willing to be un-converted.
What we have to admit is it's very easy to make a bad AG beer as well.

 

[vlbaby]

yer thats a good idea tangent.

Please, all extract and kit brewers pm me and tangent NOW for the details where you can send your beers for a vigorous quality and reassurance assesment.

give beers a chance.

very thirsty,


vl.

 

[Darren]

Earlier on this year I judged a country show (50 or so beers). 90% of the beers were at the best average probably because they were JUST kits. Even the best (sanitation, temp control, etc) kit beers all taste the same.

Of all the shows that I have judged in, country and state, the only time a kit beer wins a class is when the entrant has used a kit as a base, then added a liquid yeast, "mini-mash", specialty grains, or hops. Hardly a kit beer!! FWIW, it shits me that these same guys enter their beers into the "kit" classes and knock off the honest brewers!!

Also, as it has been said in earlier threads, I also challenge anyone to make a class winning pilsener or lighter style lager with a kit. If you like darker styles, kits make acceptable beers, the light ones just don't cut it for me.

cheers

Darren

 

[johnno]

When I used to do partial using dry extract I was getting a residual sweetness.
Seemed to be more with the ales and lagers, porters and stouts were ok.

I dont miss the sweetness at all.

cheers
johnno

 

[Keith_N]

Gday All
Wow haven't seen one of theses arguements for a while. Only 100 votes, I guess that gives an accurate read of active members.
Stay cool
Keith

 

[devo]

I thought my beers were "better than that commercial crap" when I was doing extract brews. Then I tasted some better commercial beers and some AG beers and realised my taste for beers had changed. Was able to pick a few different things out from beers that I hadn't noticed before.
To be honest I haven't tasted an extract brew that has made me say "Wow", ever. (plenty of "not bads" and "yeah that's easy drinking")
If you want to post me one and prove me wrong (I'll put it alongside my photo of the ugly member of Bananarama), I'm more than willing to be un-converted.
What we have to admit is it's very easy to make a bad AG beer as well.

I'd have to agree tangent. I've made both good and bad AG and extract brews.

When I used to brew extracts even my better one's I kinda got the "yeah not bad, pretty good drop" response from non brewing friends even though I thought they were shit hot personally. But when I started serving up the AG brews the response I got was like "wow".

Time I think is very important. Even though you spend less time making an extract I noticed it takes way longer for it to mature into a really good drop. On the other hand an AG takes longer to initially make but tends to take less time to mature to the same quality or beyond. B)

 

[devo]

yer thats a good idea tangent.

Please, all extract and kit brewers pm me and tangent NOW for the details where you can send your beers for a vigorous quality and reassurance assesment.

give beers a chance.

very thirsty,


vl.

hahahahaha brilliant

 

[Bizarre]

Wow this seems to be turning into a bit of hot topic!
Here's my 2 cents worth (FWIW!!) - I have been collecting equipment to brew AG. The main reason I want to do ag is that I can have complete control (hopefully if all goes well ) from start to finish - and for (hopefully) a different tasting sort of beer.

I brewed kits for 5 years and gave it away for a couple of years cause it was "too much effort" etc etc. When I started brewing again about 6 months ago I tried a couple of kits, then got adventurous with extract, grains and hops (doing partials) and I liked the different tastes I was able to get. I've done heaps of partials now which I've been fairly happy with - but having tasted a couple of AG beers I do think the potential is there to make some really nice drops (also some flamin revolting one if I screw up!!).

Look, at the end of the day does it really matter if its kit or ag blah blah - we all have a comon interest in a hobby, and different people always do things different ways - if the indivduals are happy with what they brew then surely thats all that matters.

Reading some of the comments it reminded me of the school yard arguments alongthe lines of "my dads bigger than your dad" "yeah, but my uncles bigger and he'd kick your dad's arse" - we all have a comon interest and surely thats all that matters.

*steps off soap box*

Cheers all

 

[AngelTearsOnMyTongue]

every mother loves their children, even if they are very ugly, but never tell her

Thats a cracker Zwickel. Very funny and very relevant.

Me? I brew kits and bits and extracts. I love em and so do my mates and family but I have always known it will only be a matter of time before I do an AG.

Unfortunately I dont have the time and "making the time" is just BS as far as I am concerned. I do my brews and bottling at about 11PM to 2 or 3 AM because I dont own my days. My wife and kids own what time I spend at home when they are awake. If I started spending my weekends brewing, I would probably find I suddenly had a lot of weekends to spend brewing.

However, please allow me to supply another analogy.

I love cooking and particularly love curries. I use to do all my curries from jars and loved them. Then I started adding bits and pieces to them and they were even better.

Eventually I graduated to grinding and cooking my own fresh spices and herbs.

Now a full on fresh curry takes longer but the results are truley amazing. So much so that I cant help trying to think of what else I can do to improve the curry. Grow my own vegetables (tomatoes, eggplants, capsicums), done it. Grow my own chickens (mmm........ maybe eventually). Using freshly made stock, yep heaps better.

What I am saying is that using fresher ingredients should definitely improve a recipe (curry or beer).
I just wish I had a bit more time when it comes to beer.

I dont feel any lesser person for not being an AG'er, I just feel jealous that I havent got to that point yet and cant see me having the time for a while.

Do I love my kits and bits and extract beers? Does a one legged duck swim in circles? You bet ya freakin life.

By the way, this has been a cracker of a thread to follow. I dont think AG'ers are elitist or arrogant or whatever, but some members do look down the ladder they have climbed.

If nothing else, this thread has really peaked my curiosity and I think I will have to do a bit of an AG sooner rather than later and I now know that I dont necessarily have to build an AG brewery first. I reckon I'll give it a go with what Ive got.

Anyway. Time to hit the sack.

See ya.

ATOMT.

 

[Bizarre]

every mother loves their children, even if they are very ugly, but never tell her

Now a full on fresh curry takes longer but the results are truley amazing. So much so that I cant help trying to think of what else I can do to improve the curry. Grow my own vegetables (tomatoes, eggplants, capsicums), done it. Grow my own chickens (mmm........ maybe eventually). Using freshly made stock, yep heaps better.

What I am saying is that using fresher ingredients should definitely improve a recipe (curry or beer).
I just wish I had a bit more time when it comes to beer.

Jeeze, when can I call in for dinner?

 

[peas_and_corn]

Wow, this thread has grown!

Anyway, I do AG (only a couple so far... haven't tried one yet!), and will still make extracts because, well, sometimes I'm not really in the mood to make an AG brew.

Everyone should brew what they're comfortable in making, and they deserve all the support they can get from the people here.